2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Port Townsend, WA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Port Townsend or is it cheaper to live in Santa Cruz?
- Port Townsend is 41.3% less expensive than Santa Cruz.

Which city has more affordable housing, Port Townsend or Santa Cruz?
- Port Townsend housing costs are 63.7% less expensive than Santa Cruz housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Santa Cruz or is Health Care more affordable in Port Townsend.
- Health related expenses are 17.9% less in Port Townsend.
 Santa Cruz, CAPort Townsend, WAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock109.2100
 Food & Groceries111.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock89.6100
 Housing420.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$579,900$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock85.0100
 Miscellaneous155.7  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Santa Cruz    44 Reviews

I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class  More

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I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity,  More

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Reviews for Port Townsend    8 Reviews

We live a little over an hour away and absolutely love Port Townsend and the surrounding areas. There are a lot of surprises. There are great places to eat, live music,  More

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I loved living in Port Townsend for about 20 years. It’s a quiet and safe town with several festivals, art, music, and more. The main economy is centered around tourism  More

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Transplant Californians are selling their shacks for a million, and purchasing homes here for twice what they should cost due to supply and demand. Port Townsend is a  More

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